Blood & Steel: A Fallout Story
by xLEGITxTAUROSx
Summary: Brotherhood of Steel Initiates Andrew Danse and Matt Cutler begin recounting their tale of survival after their first mission goes horribly wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**Preface**

This is my first fan-fiction so don't hate too much, but please feel free to leave suggestions and a review. This is a total rewrite of any backstory that may have been lain for Paladin Danse in Fallout 4 and Cutler who I'm pretty sure never even got a first name. Danse didn't get one either though so oh well. I also am totally redoing any previous material that was written for the Midwestern chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel which itself isn't too much anyway. Basically It's my mission to fill in some holes and make this as plausible as possible.

Enjoy!

P.S. There is an index at the end of the Chapter that gives locations and names of important areas and characters with further backstory. **Recommend you start there.**

 **Blood & Steel **

**A Fallout Story**

Year: 2274

Chapter 1

"So what the hell are we dealing with again?" Cutler asked Paladin Armstrong loudly, trying to make himself heard over the loud droning of the Vertibird engine. "Raiders" Armstrong replied in his usual gruff manner, "A small holdout in a forest in the Lowlands. Perfect for you and Danse to get some training with." "Come on!" Knight Love exclaimed jubilantly, "I didn't get to face Raiders for a solid three months when I was training, and here we are just a month after they get shipped in from Boston having to ferry these kids out for some damn target practice." This was enough to even get the usual stone faced Knight Jackson to crack a smirk. "Well remember you could barely fire a magnum without requiring stitches when you first started, Love." Armstrong quickly retorted. This managed a grin on Jackson's face. "We ought to be arriving at the LZ soon so let's focus." Armstrong stated, "Danse, Cutler you two will follow the three of us after dropping in. You guys don't have full armor and those leg guards wouldn't stop a Radroach bite much less a bullet." "Understand?" He exclaimed. "Understood." Danse and Cutler almost simultaneously respond.

The next few minutes are quiet as the squad prepares for the ensuing fight. Cutler's hands are shaking, but Danse oddly enough seems as normal as ever. He has always been a fast shot and even faster learner. He'd progressed along with his training even faster than Armstrong himself who was hailed as being one of the best soldiers in the Brotherhood. He had a new test now though, but he wasn't worried about himself. He was worried that Cutler might not be quite ready for a real live fight. Cutler had performed admirably in training, but if he screwed up here he wouldn't get a second chance. "Nervous?" Danse asked his friend and fellow Initiate. "Just a bit." Cutler responded quietly. "Are You?" He followed with. "Just a bit." Danse replied with. "Well don't be, cause no matter what goes on down there I got your back." Cutler followed up with. "Know that I have yours too." Danse added.

"Three minutes out!" The Vertibird pilot exclaimed as he began the final approach. "Well they will probably know we are here." Love pointed out. "Who was the one who suggested we assault the East side of the base we are approaching from the West?" He suggested. Armstrong retorted with, "There's a hill overlooking the base base from the East." He then added "We want to make this quick and clean for the Initiates, and there is a clearing from this side too." Love responded with, "Well the Brotherhood isn't known for sneaking up on people while wearing massive suits of armor anyway." "Ad-fucking-victoriam to that" Jackson chimed in with. The veteran soldier was always ready for a fight. "Ready to drop in 3!" The pilot exclaimed. "Love you're up!" Armstrong barks. "Aye!" Love responds with. Love dones his T-60 suit's helmet and drops out of the Vertibird. Landing with a huge thud as he impacts the Earth below. "Jackson!" Armstrong orders. Jackson does the same and follows Love down. Danse and Cutler drop in next. Their special leg guards protecting them from the fall. Before Armstrong drops in the pilot hands him two flares. "The first is for emergency the second is for exfil!" He yells. "Don't make me land if I don't have too. You never know what these bastards have." The pilot adds. Armstrong thanks the pilot and drops out.

The squad moves slowly towards the Raider base laser rifles drawn. "It's too damn quiet." Love remarks, "They had to know we were coming." Suddenly a shot rings out. The sniper shot connects with Jackson's left knee. He crumples down on his knee as Armstrong yells, "Ambush!" Danse and Cutler take cover behind a tree as shots begin ringing out from the front of the group. Armstrong and Love immediately return fire and cut down several Raiders flooding down the hill. Jackson is able to stand back up and return fire, but his leg continues to malfunction. The sniper's shot rings out again as he tries to take down Armstrong, but his chest armor holds true. Danse listening for the identifiable shot immediately begins scaling the dead tree. "Are you mad!?" Cutler yells, but Danse is almost in another world. He looks South West towards the base and scans the trees. Another shot rings out but misses Armstrong this time. Danse sees him about fifty yards out. He unloads five or six shots from his laser rifle and connects with almost all of them. The sniper screams and falls to the ground flat on his back. He doesn't get up. "Sniper is down!" Danse exclaims. Love and Armstrong begin pushing up through the trees towards the hill, killing a dozen Raiders in progress. The longtime squadmates seem to almost know what the other is thinking.

A few moments later Love yells, "Clear!" The two retreat back to Jackson and the Initiates. "Are you hurt Knight?" Armstrong asks. Jackson responds, "No, the bastard just got a lucky shot and busted a joint in the armor I think." He adds, "I feel fine but moving isn't going to be fun." "We already have two armorless men I don't want to risk another." Love remarks. "Agreed." Armstrong replies. "You can be on air support." He throws a flare down and almost immediately the Vertibird flies towards the clearing. A few long and slow minutes later Jackson gets into position on the Vertibird's minigun. "Use the next one if you need air support." The pilot tells Armstrong as he hands him another flare. "Just remember to mark your target, and not yourselves." He adds before lifting off. "That guy is a real condescending ass." Love remarks. Cutler and Danse grin in agreement. The remaining four begin moving back towards the hill overlooking the base.

The four take up positions on the hill. The base is no ordinary Raider base. "What the hell?" Love exclaims. "I thought this was just a small camp." He adds. Danse and Cutler can't believe it. The place is almost a glorified fortress. "That bunker." Armstrong points to a bunker leading underground on the North side of the base, "We need to secure that bunker and make sure the place is cleared out." Armstrong throws the next flare and it lands right in the middle of the base. "Hold here and light them up!" Armstrong yells. The vertibird flies in and Jackson unleashes hell. Raiders flood out of some larger buildings that appear to be barracks on the Western side of the base. They never stood a chance. One Raider tries to fire a missile launcher at the Bird but is quickly gunned down by Cutler. Danse and the rest of the ground squad pick off those that aren't immediately killed by Jackson in the air. A few do manage to get into the bunker though and Jackson shifts his focus to it. "No!" Armstrong screams "Don't shoot the bunker!" Love looks over in shock at Armstrong who takes his helmet off and continues screaming. A muffled explosion can be heard. Then another. Jackson unable to hear with his helmet on and over the gun continues firing. Suddenly it happens.

A massive explosion tears through the Earth where the bunker is. The shockwave knocking the bird out of the sky. "Run!" Love shrieks. The four run down the hill as quickly as possible. The bird impacts where they were just moments before. The hull breaks apart and bounces down the hill. Another explosion from the Bird knocks the squad apart.

Cutler wakes up. He has no idea how much time has passed. His left arm stinging from an unbearable pain. He gets up looking for signs of life from the others. He finds Armstrong first, trying to unjam the emergency release on his armor. He is on his back though. "Paladin!" He yells, "What the hell happened?" He asks. "Mini nukes." Armstrong responds, "They had mini nukes." He continues trying to unjam the emergency release on his armor. "Here I'll help." Cutler says. He tries and tries the release but it won't budge. "Find Love." Armstrong exclaims, "He had stimpacks in his leg compartment, and find Danse as well." "But you.." he begins but Armstrong cuts him off, "Find Love, there is nothing you can do for me now." Cutler slowly backs away, and tries to find the Knight. After a minute of searching he finds him. A massive piece of the Vertibird hull landed on Love as he tried to dive. Cutler slowly approaches the carnage, and is able to get the stimpacks from the Knight's leg. He hears a beeping sound coming from Love's body, and quickly injects a stimpack in his arm. Almost immediately a warmth spreads over his arm as he regains use of it. He races to try and find Danse. Cutler returns to where he woke up at and finds Danse slowly moving. "Andrew!" He yells as he races to the groggy Initiate. "I told you not to call me that Matt." He counters with, "Shit, my leg!" He exclaims. His leg is bending in ways that it shouldn't be. Cutler quickly injects a stimpack into it, and just like before the effects are immediate. Danse's leg almost magically returns to normal. "I don't know what they put in these things, but damn they're amazing." Danse states. Cutler helps him up and brings him to Armstrong who is beeping as well.

Armstrong is trying to roll himself onto his back, but is having no luck. "Grab his legs I'll grab his shoulders!" Danse tells Cutler. "Push!" He yells. The two push with all their might, but can't budge the Paladin. "The core is damaged and will explode!" Armstrong tells them, "With no power these things weigh a ton." He calmly adds, "You can't save me." "No!" Cutler yells, "We can! We have too!" He tells Danse, "Grab him again we just have to roll him!" Cutler desperately grabs his legs and pushes with all his might, but can't move him. "Fuck!" He screams. He tries fighting back tears. Danse pulls him up, trying to hold tears back himself. "Don't cry for me soldier." He sternly tells Cutler. "See if you can find anything of Jackson." He adds. Danse begins going with Cutler but Armstrong motions for him to remain. "I have to tell you this." Armstrong tells Danse. The beeping from Love's suit is speeding up by now. "This mission wasn't what you thought it was." Armstrong states, "This came down straight from the Commander to me and only me." He continues, "This base had been heavily scouted for some time, and we marked it to secure the mini nuke and Fat Man stocks the Raiders had." In obvious pain he continues. "I chose you and Cutler for this mission over other Knights for several reasons. You two are some of the best Initiates we have ever seen. You two have to get back to Cincinnati, and let Command know what happened here. We needed these stocks not for Raiders, but for an even bigger threat." Danse responds, "Why can't we wait here?" He continues, "Won't there be a search and rescue team?" Armstrong responds, "Normally yes, but there is a large detachment fighting up North. They were set to go out when we did." He adds, "There is only a small force defending the base right now in addition to the Commanders." The beeping from Love's suit is almost a solid tone. "Take this." Armstrong motions to the 10MM pistol on his leg. "It doesn't have much ammo so use it well." The Paladin adds, "Get out of here and head West, and don't go through the Raider base." Danse responds, "OK, we will." He solemnly adds, "It's been an honor to serve with you Paladin." And salutes. "It's been an honor to teach and serve with you too." Armstrong replies. Danse grabs Cutler and the two head West around the base.

Armstrong waits until the two are out of sight.

The tone from Love's suit is deafening now.

He furiously begins to fight with the release again. Using all of his strength to try and unlock it.

The tone grows louder.

And louder.

The release clicks.

The tone goes solid.

"AD VICTORIUM!"

Index

Locations:

Cincinnati - Home of the Brotherhood of Steel's Mid Western headquarters. Has been purged of all ghouls and other abominations.

Lowlands - Area East of Cincinnati before reaching the foothills of the Eastern Range.

Characters:

Initiate Andrew Danse - 19 yrs old. Joined the Brotherhood 5 months ago at The Citadel, but was shipped out to Cincinnati the Mid Western chapter to finish his training and to support the smaller chapter. Is very headstrong and confident while also being a good soldier.

Initiate Matt Cutler - 18 yrs old. Joined the Brotherhood with Danse and has been at his side since meeting him a year ago. Is extremely loyal and a good squadmate who puts the mission ahead of himself.

Paladin Armstrong - 35 yrs old. One of the best soldiers the Brotherhood has ever had. Is a master tactician and a fantastic leader. Took Danse and Cutler under his wing after they were transferred to Cincinnati and trained them himself. Has a fantastic combat record and has never failed a mission. If he was any better he would be would be a Sentinel.

Knight Love - 28 yrs old. A long time squad mate of Paladin Armstrong. Is known for being sarcastic and questioning authority. Is a very good soldier though, but probably won't make it to Paladin rank unless his attitude changes.

Knight Jackson - 37 yrs old. A newer addition to Armstrong's squad. He was transferred into the squad after his was wiped out in a previous mission, and only he survived. Has a very stone-like demeanor and rarely shows much emotion. Many believe it's because of his past experience with his squad and because he feels guilty for it.


	2. Chapter 2

Preface

Sorry for the massive delay, I had my most stressful semester of school in my life and just wasn't in the mood to write out the next chapter. I will say now though that chapters from here on out will be much shorter since 2,500 words is a bit of overkill for one chapter. So expect new chapters much more frequently.

Enjoy and let me know how i'm doing since this is my first fanfic!

 **Blood & Steel **

**A Fallout Story**

Year: 2274

Chapter 2

Danse and Cutler hear an explosion and look back behind them. They see the mushroom cloud from the mini nukes and a smaller smoke cloud from the vertibird. "We have to get moving. If there aren't raiders already on their way then there will be soon." Danse stated. "What would be the easiest way back to Cincinnati?" Cutler asked. "Following the Ohio River. We have to head South West." Danse replied.

So the pair began walking South West, eventually picking up and following a smaller river on the way that turned out to known as the Little Miami River. They stuck close to the river to try and avoid unwanted attention. After a long walk through the rest of the day the pair finally made it to where the Little Miami flows into the Ohio. This is where they decided to stop as the day was turning to night.

"Any ideas for food?" Cutler asked, but Danse was in another world. He was busy staring at what remained of the Cincinnati skyline. What was once one of the most beautiful skylines in the world was a husk of its former self. Just 4 burnt and crumbling skyscrapers remained. "I've never seen the city from this angle before. It was probably unbelievable at one time." Danse stated. "Maybe so." Cutler stated as he walked up next to his friend, "But we have bigger problems to worry about. We have to survive the night as every raider in a 20 mile radius is probably looking for us." He said. "I know." Danse replied, "That's why I think we should go to them." "Are you insane!?" Cutler responded. "You see that riverboat?" Danse pointed to a boat docked on the Ohio towards Cincinnati.

Riverboats are makeshift multileveled boats made from scrap metal and pontoons. They typically are crude in nature and are powered by generators that provide power to the motors. It's very common to also see weapons mounted on them as well.

"Yea, what's your idea? We only have a tiny amount of supplies." Cutler responded. "We can board the boat under darkness and take anything those raiders have. They won't be back yet from their extra patrols and checking out the crash site. It might actually be easier than taking candy from a baby." Danse confidently exclaims. "You might be the most overconfident ass I have ever met." Cutler responded, "But that's why I'm with you." He followed with. "Then let's move." Danse said with a grin.

The sun had just finished setting when the pair set off North West towards the boat.

"Get down!" Danse whispered loudly. The pair dive behind some bushes as a spotlight on the boat came to life and began scanning the area. The pair were about 300 ft. from the boat. "Well it looks like someone is actually home." Cutler whispered. "I'll check and see how many there are." Danse responded quietly. Danse pokes his head over the bush as the spotlight cycled back away from them. "I've got 2 on the bridge on land and 2 on the deck." He said after ducking back into cover as the light cycled back. "Well I've got an empty Nuka Cola bottle and a rock." Cutler responded with. "It's a start." Danse stated. The pair began moving up carefully while dipping in and out of cover to avoid the light. They got within 100 ft. of the boat.

"Give me the rock." Danse whispered. Cutler hands Danse the rock, and with near laser precision Danse throws and hits the spotlight bulb just before it was about to shine on them. The spotlight bulb explodes and sparks start flying out from it. Three of the guards run to the top of the boat leaving just one at the bridge. "Hell of a throw man." Cutler whispered. "We aren't done yet." Danse replied, his mind focused on the mission. The pair get within 50 ft. of the boat. "Hand me the bottle." Danse says. Cutler hands the empty bottle over, and Danse throws it behind a car a ways in front of the guard at the bridge. The bottle shatters, and the guard moves out towards it with his weapon at the ready. As soon as he gets about 15 ft. away from the bridge Danse springs into action. Like a cat pouncing on his prey he grabs the guard and immediately snaps his neck. The other 3 guards were too busy talking about the light to even have a clue what was happening. Danse drags the body behind the car where the bottle landed and checks the pockets. Cutler quickly follows and joins him. "He have anything good?" Cutler asks. "His rifle isn't bad. Looks like a repeater, and it's in solid shape." Danse replied.

"You take the 1 on the left and I got the 2 on the right." Cutler exclaims. "You think you can get 2 headshots from this range with that pistol?" Danse replied. "I'm not nearly as bad of a shot as you think I am." Cutler quickly retorted. "On my mark." Danse continued, "3...2...1...mark." The left and middle guard both get hit at nearly the exact same time with headshots. The left guard which was looking at the spotlight slumps on to the railing while the middle guard falls backwards and slumps down. The right guard begins readying his rifle when he is hit by simultaneous headshots. His head explodes, and his body falls over the railing and into the Ohio. "I told you I had them." Cutler quickly states. "Team effort." Danse responds with while grinning. "Yea, yea let's get in and out quick before the raiders get back." Cutler retorts with. The pair hurries onto the boat to check for supplies. Cutler finds 3 stimpacks and another repeater with ammo off of the raiders. Danse kicks down the door and enters the lower level of the boat. He finds repeater ammo along with apples and tomatoes.

"Danse! Company!" He hears shouted


	3. Chapter 3

Year: 2274

Chapter 3

"I see you've finally woken up." Danse looks over towards to where the voice came from. It was Cutler. "My head is killing me." Danse exclaims. "The stomach isn't feeling too good either." He continues with. "I'm not surprised. You were lit up pretty good." Cutler responded with. "How long was I out?" Danse asked. "About 3 days." Cutler answered. "Commander Perry is going to be in to debrief us any minute." He followed with. "Great." Danse responded.

Commander Perry wasn't exactly known for is glowing personality, but in terms of military strategy there were very few any better. He lead the Brotherhood forces in the purging of all mutants and raiders from the Cincinnati metro area. Those that weren't killed were forced to retreat, usually after suffering massive losses.

"Maybe now we can get more answers about all the cloak and dagger circling this whole mess." Danse followed with. Almost on cue the Commander entered. Perry was a tall and older man. With as much experience he had with the Brotherhood he was short and to the point. "Initiates." He stated. Cutler immediately snapped to attention while Danse saluted from his bed. "At ease men. You know in these situations I'm not going to bullshit with that crap." Perry stated. "Now what I do want to know is how what the fuck happened out there?" Perry followed with. "Cutler filled me in with some of the details about the mission itself, and…" Perry removed his hat and held it in his hands. "It also is very regrettable what happened with Armstrong and the rest of your crew." Perry wasn't much for sentiment most of the time, but he knew how big of a loss Armstrong was. "I'm sure you two have questions for me as well as you two are probably well aware of the circumstances of your mission, but we will get to that next." Perry said. "For now though…" Perry paused. "What the fuck happened on that boat?" He asked.

Danse stared at Perry for a few seconds. The tension was through the roof. "Well it went a bit like this…"

"Danse! Company!" Danse hears shouted from Cutler. Danse puts the loot into his pockets and exits the boat to find 2 squads of raiders converging from where the 2 of them just came from. "Shit." Danse whispered. The two quickly take cover behind the makeshift light stack of the boat. The raiders begin opening fire from behind trees and bushes. "Shit not good." Cutler states. "The cars are too far away." Danse states. "We will be pinned if we don't do something fast." "Poke around the back and I'll try this side." Cutler says. "You first though." He followed with. Danse readies his repeater and aims around the side of the stack. He fires 3 quick shots and retreats back. His side of the stack is quickly met with return fire, but damage was done. "Shit I'm down!" The pair hear in a couple various forms. Cutler immediately pokes around the other side and fires a pair of shots from his repeater. His shots connect with a raider too. "Nice job but we still have lots of work to do." Danse states. Suddenly large shots ring out from the distance.

Explosions ring out around the raiders position. Screams of terror and death ring out. Danse recognized the sound of the guns. "What the fuck is happening?" Cutler yells. Danse was almost in a trance. "Super mutants." He coldly responds with. Danse looks towards the river. From the intersection of the two rivers, on the Ohio 2 gunboats can be seen moving upstream. "They must not know about us." Cutler states. "Or they want the boat." Danse responded with. The super mutants typically like to steal boats and customize them rather than build them themselves. The explosions finally stop. The raiders' positions now are red and cratered. The pair of boats continue their march upstream. "Now what?" Cutler asked. "We fight." Danse responded. "There has to be explosives here somewhere." Danse followed with. Cutler quickly heads into the lower deck to scavenge some more. Danse, sitting now against the light stack holds his repeater close. He has heard about what super mutants do to their victims. He doesn't plan on becoming one. Cutler returns to their position. "I have a frag grenade, a pipe bomb, and a green flare with a flare gun." "Good finds." Danse responds. The Brotherhood uses green flares for extraction. "We can't use the flare yet unfortunately. We will be dead before the Brotherhood could get here. If they see it at all." Danse states. "Any ideas?" Cutler asks. "I guess one of us has to test out throwing arm with a pipe bomb." Danse responds.

"You two are fucking insane." Perry interrupts with. "Well we didn't exactly have power armor and miniguns either." Danse retorted with. "I can't believe the two of you survived as long as you did." Perry responded with. "Continue."


End file.
